Spike-holder.



No. 865,906. PATENTED SEPT. 10, 1907. W. D. F. JARVIS.

, SPIKE HOLDER. APPLICATION FILED JAN-13. 1906- UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

WILLIAM D. F. JARVIS, OF BELINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALFTO JULES A. VIQUSNEY, OF BELINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA.

SPIKE-HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 10, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM D. F. JARvIs, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Belington, in the county of Barbour and State ofWest Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements inSpike-.Holders, of which the following is a specification.

- The invention relates generally to an improvement in railroad spikes,comprehending specifically a wedge strip designed for cotiperation withthe standard commercial or other spike.

The mainobject of the present invention is the production of a wedgestrip designed to be used with any desired form of spike, and serving inuse, to reinforce the spike and prevent movement of the same in adirection away from or longitudinally of the rail.

The invention in its preferred form will be described in detail in thefollowing specification, reference being had particularly, to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

. Figure 1 is a view in side elevation illustrating the application ofmy improved wedge strip to the standard commercial spike. Fig. 2 is atransverse sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is aperspective view of the wedge strip.

Referring particularly to the drawings, 1 represents the spike,comprising the shank 2, formed at one end with a head 3, having theoverhanging lip 4, and at the opposite end with the wedge point 5, allof which parts may be of any preferred or desired construction.

In the standard spike, the shank 2 is of square formation in section,having plane side edges, forward edge, and rear edge. In use this formof spike has been found objectionable in that the plane rear edge, whichis the strain resisting edge, will, in the movement of the spikeincident to the movement of the rail, displace the wood fiber endsbearing against said edge to such an extent as to permit independentmovement of the spike. Under the outward movement of the spike, due tothe spreading strain of the rails, the plane rear edge will eventuallyso disturb the contacting fiber ends as to displace them, with theeffect to decrease their resistance against movement of the spike. Underthe longitudinal movement of the spike, due to the contraction andexpansion of the rails, the plane rear edge of the shank acting across astraight surface of said fiber ends, will tend to gradually force saidfiber ends in opposite directions, so that the plane rear edge of theshank becomes practically a wedge to separate the fibers.

Both of the above noted results, incident to the movement of the spike,tend to loosen the grip of the spike in the tie, necessitating aredriving of the spike, ora filling of the excess opening. It is toavoid these objections, and to practically and effectually preventmovement of the spike that the present invention is designed. The wedgestrip of this invention comprises a metallic block 6, wedge shaped inedge view, and having a plane rear face 7, formed at the edges withlongitudinally extending ribs 8. The front or forward face of the blockis of concaved formation in transverse section, as at 9, the side edgesof the concave preferably extending beyond the side edges of the block.

The plate is preferably, though not necessarily, of a length slightly inexcess of half the length of the spike, and at the upper or head end isformed with a lip 10 to overlie the concave 9, whereby to provide ashoulder for use in withdrawing the wedge.

The wedge of this invention is designed for use with commercial or otherspikes, and is arranged .for cooperation therewith by seating the rearedge of the spike against the rear face of the wedge, as shown in Fig.2. The rear face of the wedge, included between the ribs 8, ispreferably of greater width than the similar dimension of thecooperating edge of the shank, whereby to provide a narrow space betweenthe side edges of the shank and said ribs. As the spike with a wedge inplace is driveninto the tie, the lower or narrowed end of, the wedgewill cleanly sever the contacting fibers of the wood, and group orgather said fiber ends within the concave 9. Any tendency on the part ofthe wedge and spike to movement outward away from the rail will beeffectually resisted by said fiber ends, as said ends by said movement,and owing to the concave 9, will be forced toward each other into acompact mass with the effect to resist such movement. It is evident thatthe greater the strain toward this movement, the greater the resistingeffect of the fiber ends, as said ends are thereby more effectuallygrouped and compacted.

By forming the rear face of the wedge of greater width than the rearedge of the shank, movement of the spike longitudinally of the rail,necessarily incident to the contraction and expansion of the rail, ispermitted without the slightest tendency to effect or shift the wedge.

The concavity 9 may be of any width desired, prefably however, butslightly wider than the shank of the spike, it being understood that theadditional width simply provides additional resistance surface.

The wedge strips are designed to be constructed of a single piece ofmaterial and at a single operation, as by stamping or the like.

Having thus described the invention, what 1 claim is:

1. The combination with a spike, of a wedge strip therefor comprising awedge-shaped plate formed with a plane face to engage the plane face ofthe spike, the strip being formed at the edges of the plane face withlongitudinally arranged ribs spaced apart a distance in excess of thewidth of the spike, the opposing face of the plate being concaved.

2. The combination with a spike, of a wedge strip there for comprising awedgeshaped plate formed with a plane face to engage a plane face of thespike, the strip being formed at the edges of the plane face withlongitudinally arranged ribs spaced apart a distance in excess of theWidth of the spike, the opposing face of the plate being concaved, theconcaved face being of greater width than the plane face.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

YVILLIAM D. F. JARVIS.

Witnesses JOHN L. FLETCHER, DAVID W, GOULD.

